Mammals with ovaries are born with a non-renewing supply of differentiated oocytes ranging from the thousands in mice to the millions in humans. While these high numbers imply a large stockpile, only a comparatively small number of the oocytes present at birth will ever be successfully ovulated and fertilized. To achieve this maturation, an oocyte must first be activated from its quiescent state and then undergo a period of extensive growth in order to accumulate large quantities of biosynthetic materials that are necessary to support the embryo prior to zygotic genome activation. We are currently limited in our understanding of factors that determine whether an oocyte will complete this growth or be fated for elimination/atresia. My research focuses on how both the intrinsic characteristics of oocytes and the extrinsic support provided by the surrounding somatic tissue determine whether an oocyte present at birth will ever be successfully ovulated. My goal is to apply this knowledge to future therapeutics for infertility.